A Smashing Secret!
by JKrlin
Summary: Shintaro made new friends soon after Ayano passed away, but they eventually grew apart. Later, he met Ene and the Mekakushi Dan. Now, he needs to tie up loose ends and finally say goodbye. But to who? To his old friends or new friends? AU
1. Chapter 1

Waking up, Shintaro looked towards his alarm clock. The blinking numbers indicated that it was midnight.

_Everyone should still be asleep_, he thought, _and it's time to see _them_ one more time._

Shintaro was thankful for Ene. No matter how annoying she was, she was part of the reason he got back into the real world. If it weren't for her, he wouldn't have gotten on better terms with his sister, or he may have never met the Mekakushi Dan. They all helped him open his eyes and to help him finally say goodbye.

Ayano. Shintaro always regretted that he never got to tell her how he truly felt about her. However, on that day when Kuroha accidently shot him, the hikkikomori found himself in his old classroom. Right by the window was the girl with the red scarf. She was looking at out the window, observing the twilight. When she turned to face Shintaro, she smiled that irritating but cheery smile.

At the sight of Ayano, Shintaro stood still, mesmerized. He wanted to just hug her and cry, say that he was sorry and that he loved her. He almost did, and he probably would have done so two years ago.

But a lot of things can change in two years.

Shintaro still dreamt of her, and sometimes, he would stay home all day and get lost in the virtual world. However, the next day, he would spend time with Momo and Hibiya, or go out to eat lunch with Konoha, or talk about music with Kido. Kano would pull a prank on him, Seto would start laughing, and Mary would stand there awkwardly before letting off a chuckle.

Shintaro never got to tell Ayano that he loved her, but now, he has people that he will love and protect for the rest of his life.

Calmly, he walked up to her. With her beautiful smile, she said, "Sorry I died." Even in death, she couldn't stop radiating with brightness.

"So annoying," Shintaro muttered, looking away from Ayano. As her smile began to slowly falter, he spoke again, louder. "But it's okay." He looked directly into her eyes. "Thank you for being there for me. You were a great friend, a great big sister apparently . . ."

Her smile returned, tenfold. He smiled right back. ". . . I loved you Ayano." Small tears began to flow down his face. "I don't know where we are, but even if I never admitted and even if you already knew, I need to tell you right now that I loved you."

Ayano was silent for moment. "I love you too, Shintaro, but you said that you had _loved_ me . . ."

Shintaro sighed, tears still trickling down. "I still love you, and I still miss you. But," the tears stopped as he sniffled, "you don't need to take care of me anymore." He chuckled. "Or take care of Seto, Kido, and Kano. I'll make sure they stay safe." He paused, taking in the girl's slightly startled look. "And the rest of the Mekakushi Dan. They're my family, now. It's my job to take of them. Even if I die, I'll be with them in spirit, like how you were there for me"

He recomposed himself before speaking once more. "If I never get to see you again, I want to say what I should have said when you left two years ago.

"Goodbye."

Ayano retained the startled expression. A few moments later, she slowly widened her mouth and smiled again. Closing her eyes, she started giggling as she removed her red scarf and placed it around Shintaro's neck.

"A gift," she said. "for the new hero."

When she opened her eyes, the color of brown was in the place of red. Bemused at this, Shintaro was about to voice a question. However, before he could, Ayano pulled him close, giving him a kiss.

It didn't last long when Ayano started pulling back. She spoke again. "I've heard about your _other_ friends, too, ya know."

Shintaro's eyes widened. "What? How – "

"It was me."

Shintaro turned around to face the new voice. Once he registered who it was, he relaxed. "Guess I should have expected that you'd try finding her."

The voice gave a small laugh. "You never stopped thinking about her, we all could tell. When I left, I wanted to see just what kind of a person she was like." The voice was amused at how Shintaro blushed.

"He told me about them," Ayano chimed in. "Even if you didn't find the Mekakushi Dan, I think you would have eventually joined their gang instead. After all," she got a mischievous look her eyes, "I'm sure _she_ would have really enjoyed that."

Shintaro blushed. "Yeah, they weren't as annoying as the Dan when we first met." She and the voice had to chuckle when they heard his response. He was avoiding mentioning the other girl who had opened his heart.

"Anyway," the voice continued, "take this." A duffle bag was put into Shintaro's hands. "You need to say a few more goodbyes, go on one more journey before you can really go back to live the rest of your life." The voice stared into the eyes of his old friend. "Sorry, but _they_ also deserve a final goodbye."

After opening up the bag and examining the contents, Shintaro sighed. "It has been a while since I've seen them . . . it really was a long three months with the Dan."

"How have you been meeting with them ever since Ene arrived, anyway?"

"I had to leave during the night, but . . . things were different when you were gone."

The voice looked away. "Yeah, thought so." He looked up again. "I'm sorry, too." He raised his hand towards Shintaro. "I'm sorry for making you do this, but you're the only one that I can trust and turn to for this."

Shintaro stared at the outstretched hand. After putting duffle bag sling over his shoulder, he grabbed the hand and shook it. "I'm always the one cleaning up every single mess." His vision started to falter, white light filling the room.

The voice smirked. "We spent months taking care of you. It's time that you return the favor."

Ayano hugged Shintaro from behind before he blacked out. "Good luck, Shintaro. Stay safe!"

It was two weeks after the incident, and a day after Shintaro was released from the hospital. He made a surprising quick recovery after a shot near his lungs. After everyone, especially Konoha, had stopped fessing over him, he was finally alone. No one would be hanging behind his shoulder when he made this final trip.

After getting dressed with his red jersey jacket, Shintaro left his room and entered the bathroom. He washed his face and looked at his reflection. For a moment, he was staring at dark-colored eyes before it shifted into a bright red. Shintaro still had no idea what kind of powers Ayano had given him. Her siblings might have known, but he decided to ask them about it after his trip.

Just as he was about to open the front entrance of his house, the duffle bag slung over his shoulder and the red scarf around hi neck, a tired voice spoke up from behind him.

"Big brother . . . are you going out? At this hour?"

Shintaro sighed. _Momo. I should have been paying more attention. _He turned and observed his little sister. She was in her pajamas, one hand rubbing her eye and the other holding a glass of water.

He opened the bag and pulled out a small plastic bag. Inside the bag was a collection of brown nuts. He took one out and flicked it at his sister. 

It made contact with her forehead. The nut bounced back into Shintaro's hand while Momo stumbled back. She pressed her cup onto where she was hit and started mumbling.

"Ow! What was that for?"

_Sorry Momo_. Shintaro, as fast as he could, unlocked the front door and left. The effects of the Deku Nut should have nulled her hearing. _I'm not in the mood to share what I've been up to. I'll make it up to you when I get back._

When Momo's dizziness subsided, she looked up and saw that her brother was gone. _What? Wasn't he . . . must be seeing things. Guess I'm still getting used to seeing him out of the hospital bed._ She finished her drink and went back to bed._ Hopefully he's up for what we planned for him tomorrow . . ._

Shintaro slowly walked towards his destination: the bridge where he last saw Ayano. _One more time . . . one more time._ Shintaro smiled. _I am really going to miss them, but it's my fault that this wall was set up. I need to make things right._

He made his way to the edge of the bridge, leaning on the guard rail as he watched the moon shine overhead. His gazed shifted moved to look down below towards the river. _Pit, you tiresome brat, you better still be ready for me._ Shintaro climbed up and stood on the railing. He double checked to make sure that his bag was sealed tight. The he rubbed the spot between his chest and his neck where he was shot. The bandages were still there.

_Wonder if there's another tournament going on_, where his last thoughts before closing his eyes and stepping off the rail, plummeting into the flowing water.

X

When Ene awoke from her hibernation, she turned on Shintaro's computer and played an alarm. On the computer screen, she jumped around and shouted excitedly, "Master! Rise and shine! We have a big day planned for you!" Her smile turned into a frown when she noticed that the bed was vacant.

_Strange, he usually never gets up at 7 unless I wake him, but his bed is all cleaned up and neat. Why would he be up and about at this hour? _

Confused, Ene popped into Momo's computer screen and asked her, "Hey, little sister, where is Master?"

Momo had just finished getting dressed and was startled at the cyber girl's sudden appearance. "Huh? You mean he's not in his room?"

Ene vehemently shook her head.

After searching the house and finding no sign of Shintaro, Momo tried calling him. However, she found his phone in his room, under a pillow. The voicemail said, "Sorry. If anyone form the Mekakushi Dan is trying to find me, I'm out on a personal trip. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

Ene immediately entered his phone and fumbled through his recent activities. Then she went back to his computer and did the same. Momo was too stunned to move.

_Big brother . . . where did you go? You're still injured!_ She thought back to when she was awake last night, getting a glass of water, and recalled imagining seeing Shintaro. _Wait, so that means you left in the middle of the night? What was so important that you had to leave when you just got out of the hospital!_

Ene sighed as she rematerialized on the screen. "I can't find anything that might tell us where he might have gone. I have no idea why Master would just leave without saying anything. What do you think little sister?"

"I . . . don't know. I think I saw him last night when I was getting some water. He could be anywhere by now."

"We should tell everyone else, ask them if they might know something!"

Momo nodded her head. "Right!"

X

_**I'm not really sure what kind of direction I'd like this story to go. Review and give me suggestions of what kind of scenarios you'd like to see. Keep in mind that I only have a vague outline of what I kind of want to happen and that I'm making some of this up as I go along.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_Kido would never admit it, but she was afraid. She had no idea where she was except that she was in an uninhabited city in the middle of the night. She lost her cellphone, and she couldn't find anyone from the Dan. _

Damn it, _she thought._ Where the hell am I?

_Kido hoped that everyone was okay. Konoha was still very upset with what Kuroha did, and Shintaro was only just released from the hospital. She was worried that they might hurt themselves while lost in this world. _

_ The seventeen year old girl forced her thoughts to relax. She had to stay calm if she were to get out of this mess quickly and safely. She reminded herself that she had her eye ability activated. If anyone wanted to hurt her, they wouldn't be able to see her. _

_ As she was passing by an alley, she paused in her stride. Turning, she saw the familiar red jersey. _

_ "Shintaro!" she yelled, deactivating her powers. "Hey, I've been looking everywhere for –" _

_ The boy's back was facing her. When he turned around, he looked at her with expressionless, empty eyes. They unnerved her. _

_ "Hey," Kido continued, nervous, "are you okay? Do you know where we are?"_

_ He didn't respond. Kido spoke louder in her usual irritated tone. "Hey, what's wrong?" _

_ Shintaro was silent for another moment before finally speaking. "I'm tired."_

_ Now, Kido was very confused. Did something happen to him? "What?"_

_Out of the blue, tears started falling from his eyes. He started sniffling. _

_ "Wha –" Kido's fear returned. She resumed her walk towards him. "Hey, come on. What hap –" _

_ Suddenly, Shintaro drew a gun out. Kido's eyes widened; it looked just like the one Kuroha had. _

_ Shintaro pointed the gun to his head. "You, Ene, the Dan; no one can help me." _

_ Panicking, she started running towards him. She reached out with her arms, shouting, "Wait! Don't!"_

_ There was a loud, shattering bang. Kido halted and watched Shintaro fall backwards. Blood was splattered everywhere. The dark red was spread all over his jersey. All Kido could do was stand there, mesmerized. She fell down to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably._

_ "No . . . no . . . why?" She couldn't stop staring at his body. "Why did you do this? I . . . I lo –"_

_The world disappeared as a white light consumed her vision._

X

The white light originated from the rising sun. It was coming through Kido's bedroom window. When she opened her eyes, she spotted a figure in a green hoodie moving the curtains. The figure looked at her with light brown eyes and gave a bright smile.

"Come on, leader!" Seto said. "It's almost 7! We need to get moving quickly if we're going to get to do everything we planned for!"

Kido sighed. "Alright, alright. Let me get dressed." Seto nodded and left the room. As Kido rose from her bed, she started to shake the dream away from her head.

When she entered the living room, she was greeted with most of the Dan making preparations for the party. Marry and Seto were placing decorations across the walls. Hibiya and Konoha were rearranging the furniture. Kido grinned at them but pondered on where Kano was. At that moment, said member put his arm around her shoulders.

"Oh, leader! You're the one that said to get up early for this. What's with you setting a bad example for the rest of us." He had that stupid smile on his face.

Kido closed her eyes and shook her head. "You're lucky I'm too sleepy to deal with you."

Kano started giggling as he released his adopted sister. "I expected that you'd be really excited for this day. After all," he closed the distance between their faces, "you really _like_ him, don't you?"

She blushed and bonked his head. "Baka! Stop messing around and get back to work!"

He continued chuckling. "What about you? You aren't helping out either."

Before the conversation could escalate, Seto spoke up. "Hey, calm down you two. You both need to save your strength for the day we've planned for."

Kido breathed in deeply as she put her fist back down. Kano kept giggling, but he stopped teasing her for the moment.

Konoha approached the pair and said, "We are still going to have a barbecue, right leader?"

She smiled at the 9th Member of the Mekakushi Dan. "Of course, Konoha. Don't worry, today should be a great one. I have a good feeling about this."

He nodded. "Okay."

All of a sudden, Kido's phone started ringing. She took it out and saw that Momo was calling her. "Hello, Momo," she answered. "Is Shintaro awake?"

"Leader!" Momo shrieked. Kido became very tense. "Big brother's missing!"

The tomboy froze. "What?" Everyone in the room stopped working and looked at her in confusion. She sounded very worried.

"Shintaro," Momo continued, "is missing! He left in the middle of the night and hasn't come back! Me and Ene are heading to your apartment right now." With that, the idol hung up.

Hibiya broke the uneasy silence. "Hey, leader, what did Momo say? How's Ene and Shintaro?"

Kido wasn't answering. Kano waved his hand of front of her face, but she still wouldn't respond. He tried grabbing her shoulders and shaking her, but it brought no results.

"Marry, did you use your power on Kido?"

The short girl shook her head. Everyone was very confused at how their leader was acting, but no matter what they did, she remained still. Why was she paralyzed like this?

It was fear. _Where is Shintaro?_ Kido thought. _He's still hurt! What the hell is he thinking?_

In a few minutes, there was knock on the front entrance. Konoha opened the door and led Momo into the living room. She had Shintaro's phone with Ene in it.

Kido finally awoke from her paralysis and faced the newcomers. She asked, "What exactly happened, Momo?"

Momo was out of breath, but she raised the phone up so that everyone could see Ene. The cyber girl played Shintaro's voicemail.

Konoha was the first to respond. "What kind of personal trip did Shintaro go on?" The airhead sounded lost and bewildered. The rest of the Dan started talking and asking questions.

"How can we not worry about him?"

"Oh, where did he go?"

"Maybe Shintaro is just playing a prank. I must have taught him well!"

"Kano, stop joking around this is serious!"

"Oi, Auntie! What did you to him last night? He's still hurt, right?

"I didn't doing anything, shota!"

"Little sister! Little brother! Stop fighting! We need to figure out where Master went!"

While everyone was talking, Kido spoke loudly up to quell the noise. "Hey, everyone, pipe down!" Once they all calmed down, she said, "So no one has any clear idea where Shintaro went?" When everyone shook their heads, she continued. "Then the only thing we can do is head out and start looking for him."


	3. Chapter 3

Kido started walking, letting the reality of Shintaro's disappearance sink in. Then she began to increase her stride, turning around every corner for any sign of him. She hadn't even realized that she had left the rest of the Dan behind.

"Hold on, Kido!" Someone grabbed her arm, abruptly halting her in her tracks. It was Kano.

His trademark smile was absent. In its place was a small frown. "We'll find him, Kido. We're all worried for him."

The leader stared into his yellow eyes before she shook her head. "I know, I know. Sorry for rushing ahead." She looked pass him. "Where's everyone else?"

Kano's grin returned. "After you ran ahead so recklessly, we decided to split up into groups of two. I came to make sure our little miss Danchou didn't trip over her feet."

Kido sighed and hit the boy's head. "I'm not that clumsy, baka. Let's keep looking."

When she resumed her walk, Kano started giggling. "Oh, that wasn't as hard as most of your usual hits. Leader must be really distracted with her missing boyfriend."

Kano was surprised that she didn't turn back to hit him again, but he was sure that she was blushing. He laughed again before following her, red eyes observing his surroundings.

_You better have a damn good reason for hurting her like this, Shintaro,_ the blonde thought.

Kido asked Kano where the rest of their friends were searching. He responded, keeping his true expression hidden under the same, annoying smile that irritated her.

_I've forgiven you for what happened with Ayano, but I _will_ make you pay if something happens to Kido. _His smile turned dark, eyes narrowing, but Kido couldn't tell. _They love you. You snared their hearts, so you should take better care of them. _

Kano's phone started ringing. The pair paused as he answered it. "Yo, Seto, what did you –"

He never finished his sentence as his face made contact with the ground. As he fell, Kano snatched his phone. "Seto! What did you find?" In the corner of her eye, Kano was twitching, face still sticking to the pavement.

"Um, leader… " It was Marry.

Kido's voice became more strained with worry. "Marry, are you okay? What happened?"

"Seto and I are at that bridge, the one near the school." She sounded as nervous as always but continued. "And… we found Shintaro's red scarf."

Silence. Then, "We'll be there in five minutes. Call everyone else." Kido paused before hanging up. "Wait, why didn't Seto call? Why are you calling?"

"Well, there was a little rat sleeping on the scarf when we found it. We startled it, and Seto is trying to convince him that we need that it."

Kido replied, "Alright, be there soon." With that, she ended the call and pulled Kano back to his feet.

"That hurt, you kno –"

"Shut up." She pushed his phone into his hands. "Call everyone else. Marry and Seto found Shintaro's scarf."

X

"Be careful, Seto! Ma-maybe I should just freeze it, or –"

"I'll be fine, Marry. It's just a little irritated and tired." Seto smiled at the short girl before looking back at the rodent. He frowned. _What kind of mouse is this, anyway?_

The small rat wrapped its lower body around the scarf like a towel. A peculiar yellow head was growling quietly. Narrow ears with black, pointed ends were hunched back. Red-colored hair formed circles on its cheeks.

_Weird… oh well._ Seto smiled again and kneeled down, slowly. "Can we please have that scarf back? It belongs to our friend."

No response, just more glaring.

"Have you seen him? His name's Shintaro, wears a red jersey. We're looking for him."

Snarling was replaced with a startled expression. The rat's ears stood completely vertical as the tips of its mouth curved downward.

"Oh, you _have_ seen him?"

Suddenly, he heard someone shouting his name. Turning his head, Seto saw the rest of the Dan jogging on one side of the bridge. After an exchange of waving hands, they all stopped behind Marry and spotted the unusual mouse. While she explained the situation to them, Hibiya unexpectedly yelled out, "You!"

Before anyone could comprehend what was happening, the boy lunged for the rat. However, as quick as light, the rodent dashed back and up on to the railing. Hibiya face planted on the concrete.

Momo shrieked and ran to help him up. Once he was sitting down and rubbing his temple, she proceeded to bonk him on the back of his head. "What the heck was that, you idiot? You almost scared the mouse away and hurt yourself in the process!"

Hibiya tried to shake his head out of his disorientation. His eyes opened to meet the damnable rat's. Anger filled his mind. Shrugging Momo's hand off his shoulder, he lunged once more.

The yellow mouse was distracted by Momo's presence. It saw Hibiya's second attack a moment too late. It jumped, biting the scarf and unraveling the fabric off its body. As it did so, Hibiya managed to grab the rodent's lightning-shaped tail. With a mighty pull, the rat fell towards the water below, the adolescent hanging on for dear life.

"_Hibiya!_" The idol reached forward but couldn't quite reach him. She and the others ran to the railing. They all watched as the two bodies descended downward.

Their cries stopped when a flash of bright white light took form over the flowing water. Hibiya and his target fell into the blazing shape. When their forms were no longer visible, the light disappeared as suddenly as it appeared.

Suffice to say, the remaining Mekakushi Dan members were quite confused at the series of events that had just occurred.

"Hey, what just happened? What's wrong with little brother?" Momo looked at the phone screen.

"I… I don't know. He just tried to grab the mouse, they fell, and… there was this light… "

She was interrupted when Konoha jumped over the rail. Everyone screamed once more, but the white light consumed another victim.

Ene saw it this time. "Oh, so that's what happened."

Cue awkward pause.

The cyber girl spoke up again. "Let's jump in! Follow them! Maybe Master fell in there, too!"

"Wait, hold on!" Kido said. "We don't know if… if whatever that light was will pop up again! We need to think about this a little more."

Kano sighed. "You're no fun, leader," he muttered before flying over the railing. He disappeared like the others.

Kido was too surprised to make a response.

"The yellow mouse did have Shintaro's scarf." She, Marry, Momo, and Ene looked at Seto. He was watching the waves go by. "I'd recognize it anywhere. Besides, anyone could tell that wasn't a natural animal; the fur and the strength it used to pull Hibiya So," he looked at the rest of his adoptive family with a grin, "how about we treat this like another mission, yeah?"

Kido hesitated but replied with, "Alright, let's take turns jumping in."

Momo climbed over with Ene in her pocket. Seto and Marry held hands as they took their dive. Before Kido made her jump, she took off her hood. She took in the breeze, letting the wind flow around her green hair. Taking deep breathes, the tomboy looked down.

_It's not just about Shintaro_, she told herself. _Like Seto said, treat this like a mission. _ _Make sure that everyone stays safe._

With that in mind, she fell into the light.


	4. Chapter 4

_**I've only seen the first episode of the anime. Is the rest of it any good?**_

X

_Ah_, a short, blue and black colored warrior thought, _Kisaragi seems to have been followed. _A strong breeze flew and rippled across his fur. He looked off towards the ocean. It lay far below from where he was levitating. Slowly, he began his descent to a flatter platform of rock and snow.

_He's never mentioned a sister before. _Lucario took in a deep breath when he landed, closing his eyes. He focused on the distant, scattered unusual red aura of the newcomers. Red implied a great many things, and a number of them were severe enough to cause worry to spawn in the Pokemon's mind. _Master Hand must have allowed them to enter. It's either that or Pit is a worse guardian than we thought. _

He opened his eyes and looked over the edge, spotting two figures jumping upwards on an artificial path paved on the side of the mountain. When they paused and set their gaze to Lucario, they exchanged waves.

_The little angel isn't as naïve as he was before. He must have a reasonable excuse if he let them in._

With his meditation done for the day, he looked up. The sun indicated that it would be noon very soon. _I suppose we should leave now. Don't want to be late for the banquet._

The residents of Glacial Peak were, among others, invited to a feast at the Smash Mansion by Master Hand himself. It wouldn't be polite if they arrived late.

X

White was all Kido could see. When it became too much, she shut her eyes. The air resistance kept pushing at her face, but she ignored any displeasure it brought. She only hoped that she wouldn't suddenly smash into the ground, assuming there was a ground to land on.

Fortunately, the sensation of falling ceased when a pair of arms wrapped around her shoulders. Instead of letting gravity dictate her path, whoever grabbed her twisted into a more horizontal motion. The light was still blinding Kido, but the intensity was starting to slowly fade.

"It's alright miss," a childlike voice said. "I've got you!" Kido wanted to ask some questions but decided to wait until they stopped their flight and landed.

Without warning, the light ceased completely. Eyelids opened and gave way to a view of water. Kido turned her head and noted that they were flying over a wide lake. Greenery surrounded the shore. Trees stood behind the shrubbery, standing tall and reaching the sky. To her right, she spotted a sandy gap in the lake's perimeter. As she and the boy shifter toward it Kido craned her neck to finally get a better look at her savior

He had an almost pudgy face with smooth, pale skin. A shiny, laurel crown sitting atop his brown hair was reflecting sunlight. Blue eyes shone with determination, focusing on their destination. The boy was grinning, and when he and Kido made eye contact, the smile widened.

Normally, the growing teen would hold on to her expression of indifference, but the kid just looked so adorably cute. She was surprised with the overwhelming urge to hug him to death. Such thoughts came to a halt, however, when white, feathery wings caught her attention. They were stretching out from his back.

_Um… what the hell?_ Angel popped in her head due to the white clothing and majestic beauty, but this only brought more questions. _Calm down, Kido. You see weird stuff all the time during missions. This is no different. You need_ _to stay focused._

As she was dropped down onto the sand, Kido observed her surroundings. The vegetation around her was so dense that she could barely see pass tree trunks. Was she in a jungle? More importantly, where was the rest of the Mekakushi Dan?

"Are you okay, miss?" the angelic boy asked. He hovered for a moment before landing beside her. He was about a head taller than Hibiya. His wings huddled behind him as he looked at her with a disarming, cordial expression. "My name's Pit. What's yours?"

The wings were relatively hidden, allowing Kido to focus back to Pit's face. "Ugh, I'm Kido." He raised his hand forward. They shook, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Are you a boy or a girl?"

Kido suppressed a sweat drop. She's been asked this question a number of times before. "I'm a girl. Thanks for catching me, but where am I?"

His face grew more inquisitive. "You mean you're not here for the banquet?"

"No, no, I'm looking for my friend, Shintaro."

Pit's mouth opened and shaped an "O."

"Do you know him?" Kido asked, her voice rising slightly. "Can you tell me where he is?"

"Are –" he closed his mouth, as if afraid to say whatever he had in mind. Nevertheless, he whispered, "Are you… one of the Mekakushi Dan members?"

Kido slowly nodded, unsure how Pit knew the name of her extended family.

Then he fluttered up and circled around her. His face was one of amazement. It was like a child keeping his distance from a new pet dog, wary but excited. "You're one of Shintaro's friends then, right?"

She nodded again, perplexed. "Yeah, I am. How do you know –"

Pit shortened the gap between their faces, popping nearly an inch away from her nose. She jumped back, but then he came even closer. "Are you his girlfriend? Captain Falcon always said that Shintaro found a pretty girl to settle down with."

Kido's blush dissipated as quickly as it had disappeared. Sure, her insecurity with her relationship with Shintaro bothered her, but Pit seemed to be familiar with him. Why would that be? "How do you know Shintaro?" she asked over his chattering.

Pit paused before answering. "Shintaro's my big brother!" he said proudly. "And if you're with the Mekakushi Dan, than that makes you my big sister!"

Kido did not anticipate him to wrap his arms around her. He snuggled into her stomach. "I always wanted another big sister! I bet Nana would –" She disconnected herself from him. He took a step back at the roughness, but Kido needed answers. She grasped Pit's shoulders firmly and made sure he didn't look away.

"Listen kid, Shintaro was shot and he just got out of the hospital. He's still weak, he left without saying anything, and I have no idea where he is. I have no idea where the Dan is. So, tell me how you know him." Pit tensed, but he wasn't afraid. Kido may have sounded harsh. However, she had to know where her family was.

The hooded girl resisted the urge to shake Pit when all he did was widen his eyes. Eventually, in a low voice, he said, "I'm sorry, big sister. I didn't know he was hurt. When I caught him when he fell through, he seemed off, but I thought he was just tired." He lowered his head. "He could be anywhere by now, but I have an idea where your friends might be."

X

When Mary regained consciousness, she found herself in the middle of a desert. Red sand stretched as far as the eye could see. Grains stained her clothes and hair. Her eyes began to dart around when she realized Seto was no longer with her.

"S-S… Seto!" she called out. There was a groan, and Seto popped out beside her like a gopher. After coughing out some sand, he smiled at her.

"Are you okay Mary?" he asked kindly, his legs buried underneath.

She immediately ran up and hugged him. "I'm alright," she said quietly, "but where's everyone else?"

Seto patted her back. Her shivering lessened as he spoke with his soothing voice. "I guess we didn't all land in the same place." He released Mary and tried to get himself completely out of the sand. Unfortunately, he achieved no success. "Hey, Marry, could you lend me a hand?" She nodded and grasped Seto's hand. They pulled, but he was firmly stuck in place.

Marry wiped some sweat off her forehead. "Should we try digging around your waist?" she asked. Before he could answer, a sound interrupted the quiet ambience. It was a small rumbling that was getting increasingly louder. The two turned and spotted a figure heading toward them.

A small, pudgy man was riding a motorcycle. He slowed down and parked his vehicle a few feet away from Marry and Seto. Mary covered her nose at the smell the bike produced. The stranger, clad in a bluish biker outfit and a zigzag-like moustache, slowly plopped down to the sand and stared at them.

They didn't quite like the look he was giving to Marry.

"Well," he drawled out, "why are you two kids all the way out here?"

X

"Turn left little sister!"

Momo reached the end of the hall and obeyed, and she nearly crashed into the back of another robot. As its head made a 180 degree turn, she ran toward the opposite direction.

"Sorry, go right instead!"

"Dang it, Ene!" Momo screamed into her phone. This action distracted her long enough to slip and fall down to the metal floor. She slid down until the top of her head made contact with a wall.

"Hey, this place's security system is harder to get through than I thought." Ene appeared on the phone's screen and saw Momo twitching on the ground. "Hey, get up! There's more of these," the cyber girl checked the folder she was sifting through, "'R.O.B.' things coming our way. Down the corridor should be a room we can hide in."

The teen idol weakly got to her feet, a red bump on her forehead. "Al-Alright…" Momo continued on with a hand on the wall to support herself.

"I can have the cameras down for another thirty seconds. We need to get to that room before a patrol catches up to us."

"Yeah… yeah…" Momo held her phone at an angle that allowed Ene to see a trail of blood on her cheek.

"Are you hurt, little sister?" Ene asked urgently.

She just shook her head with her eyes closed. "Just point me to that hiding spot, Ene. I just need to lie down." Unfortunately, when Momo lifted her eyelids a centimeter, Ene caught the color red in her eyes. That crash must have done more damage than she thought if Momo couldn't repress her power.

"Just a few more –" Ene heard Momo shriek as she dropped the phone. Her cries became muffled as a door slid closed with a thud. "Little sister? Momo? Hello?"

Gunshots, and Ene could no longer hear Momo resisting.

"Momo?! Are you alright? Momo!"

With no response, Ene could feel sweat going down her forehead. She was a cyber-girl, but her stress had to come out in some form.

"Damn it…" Ene went back to the files she hacked into. With no way to contact their friends, she had to be the one to check on Momo. How, you ask?

These robots had a surprisingly weak mainframe, easy to get access to, but they were also quite complex. Ene found what she had to call emotions and dreams. The first R.O.B. they encountered was angry and very aggressive when chasing them. Another one was thinking about how it hated cooking when Ene deactivated it. That last one Momo almost ran into was asleep and dreaming of riding a giant ship called the "Halberd."

These things were as close to sentient as Ene has ever seen in a machine. However, unlike regular human security, they could hack back at her systems at an alarming speed. Luckily for her, she was obviously better, but she had to work faster before they caught up to her.

There was another room nearby where defective R.O.B.s were stored. It would take some trial and error, but she could probably take control of one of them and find Momo.

X

"So, Sonic, what have you been up to after winning the tournament?"

"Ah, ya know, staying fit, kicking Doctor Eggman's ass. How about you, Wolfy?"

"My team and I earned quite a lot of cash since then. We've been taking a little vacation. Master Hand owed me a favor, so I decided to sight-see his little world."

"Really? Find any lost treasure?"

"No such luck I'm afraid. Still, it ain't half bad around here. There's a lot of potential in this 'World of Trophies.' You gotta wonder why Master Hand doesn't let more people settle down."

"Aw, who knows what goes on in his head? He doesn't even have a head!"

"Yeah, you're still not funny Sonic."

"You know I gotta try, man."

"Yeah, yeah, but anyway," Wolf finished his drink and rose from his barstool, "I think we ought talk with our new friend here." He turned to his right and poured another drink. "That's a nice little trick, pal, but my sense of smell tells me you there's more to you than meets the eye."

The charming young woman before Wolf suddenly took the form of a blond boy with a black hoodie. Kano smiled back with his red eyes narrowed. "Nice to meet ya. You wouldn't happen to know where to find a tall, pale guy in a red jersey, would you?"

X

Konoha gave an uppercut to the towering ape, but he just grabbed his fist and backhanded the boy. The tie-wearing beast jumped up and tried to drop his elbow down. Konoha rolled out of the way and got in a single punch to its face. He retreated in the nick of time to dodge another haymaker.

The smaller monkey, wearing a red hat and shirt, elevate himself with his jetpack. He rose just below the leaves of the trees and peppered the ground with peanut bullets. Konoha managed not to get hit, but he stumbled into a circular clearing. The little ape landed behind Konoha, and the bigger one slowly trekked forward.

He couldn't rely on the woodwork to help protect him anymore. The apes didn't look like they were willing to let him go after consuming all of those bananas. He couldn't help it, Konoha was hungry, but they growled with determined eyes. Konoha wasn't afraid, but he was worried that about his friends.

The little one made his move, but Konoha just threw him toward its elder. As the ape caught his partner, Konoha turned to run once more, but he slipped on a banana peel. He didn't hit the dirt, but he was pulled by his leg and was thrown back. Konoha landed on his feet as something blurry pass him. A tail wrapped around his eyes and pulled him to the ground.

A roar, a glimpse of a fist, and Konoha lost consciousness.

X

Red merely looked on as his Pikachu tried not to look guilty. A young boy was lying on the ground. He appeared to be the victim of one the Pokémon's electrical attacks. At least he wasn't blasting off, but that just meant Red would have to tend to the injuries.

"Lucas, stop poking him."

The blonde stepped back and dropped the stick he was holding. "Should we get help?"

Red nodded. "Yeah, let's get him back to the castle." He reached into his bag and pulled out a Pokeball. "Go, Blastoise!"

Said Pokémon spawned and let out a might yell. It looked at Hibiya and gave a tired sigh. Then he glared at Pikachu who avoided the gaze.

"I know, I know," Red said, shrugging, "but we can't just leave him here."

Blastoise grunted and placed Hibiya on his back. The Pokémon Trainer sighed.

"Shintaro's going to love this."


	5. Chapter 5

Kido tried to relax and seem unthreatening, but Pit still looked downcast. She guessed he was still disappointed with the "big sister" she presented herself.

"Well," Pit began as he shuffled his feet, "you and your friends entered Interdimension 48." He looked up and saw Kido's blank face. "Master Hand says it's like the road system of the Omniverse. Unless you know the routes or have a map, though, you could fall anywhere. I know about a few spots where your friends could have landed."

It took the Mekakushi Dan leader a second to respond. "Wait, so we're in a different universe?"

Pit nodded. "This place is a junction for all universes, but Master Hand is still revising the system."

For split second, Kido's thoughts drifted to the Heat Haze. In her time as leader, she's learned to spot opportunities where she can. However, they ceased as she reprioritized on more immediate matters. "And this Master Hand? Who is he?"

"He's… someone with special powers." Pit flapped his wings. "Like me, but on a really bigger scale."

_So… you're an angel… a god?_ "And how did Shintaro get involved into this?"

Pit lightly chuckled. "Big brother fell into Interdimension 48 two years ago through the same entrance you took. He almost drowned in the lake before I found him."

"Really? That… sounds like something that would happen, actually." The Dan made a trip to the beach once, and Shintaro had to be dragged out of the water. He had fainted and was simply floating on his back when they found him. _Two years ago… why would he fallen off that bridge two years ago?_ "And you don't know where he could be right this instance?"

"No, he said he wouldn't go to the banquet, and pretty much everyone we know will be there. He didn't say we he'd be going."

"Are you _sure_ you have no idea?" Kido reiterated.

Pit nodded. "Yeah, there's the Fighting Alloy Team Club, New Pork City, Smashville, Yoshi's Island, Delfino Plaza…" He continued to list off locations as he outstretched each of his fingers.

"Alright," Kido stopped him with a wave of her hand. "You don't know where he is, but you do know where everyone else could be?"

"Yup." The little angel was slowly regaining his exultant demeanor. "There's only a few places that are open, too. I can take you to the closest one." He hovered above Kido's head.

Kido felt sweat go down her head. "You're… going to have to carry me to get there fastest, aren't you?" Adrenaline and worry kept her from panicking during the initial flight, but such things couldn't distract her forever from a high-speed voyage.

Pit had an amused grin on his face. "I can fly slower than usual if you want."

She looked away, her hood helping hide a blush. "No, no, I need to see if they're okay as soon as possible." The girl gulped. "Just… not too fast, alright, kid?" She stretched out her arms, and Pit fluttered behind and wrapped his around her shoulders. With that, they took to the skies and flew away.

_Don't look down, Kido. Just don't look down._

"The closest spot is in the jungle," Pit said as they made their way over the trees. "Don't worry, though. Most of the animals will probably leave them alone as long as their fruit isn't disturbed."

Ignoring the fear and tears Kido was experiencing, something in her mind clicked. _Food… I hadn't cooked breakfast yet… _"And if it is disturbed?"

A short pause. "Can any of you fight?"

That was not what Kido wanted to hear. "Only one of us, Konoha, can really defend himself in a fight, but anyone else will probably hide or run."

Pit shook his head. "Most of the animals will probably give up if they can't find your friends, but then there's Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, two apes who really like their bananas." He slowed down a bit, causing Kido to look up at him. He tried to give her a reassuring smile. "You shouldn't worry. Shintaro and Nana always tell me to hope for the best but plan for the worst, so you should do the same."

"That doesn't ease my worry," Kido deadpanned. "And who's Na –" Something crashed into them from behind. Kido shrieked as she felt Pit's grip disappear and herself free fall. She tried to grab something but there was nothing to take hold of. As the green treetops got closer and closer, the Mekakushi Dan leader covered her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

"Leader!"

Someone caught her and carried her bridal style. Once all movement stopped, Kido opened her eyes.

"Are you alright, leader?" Konoha asked, crouched on a large branch right under the treetops. He had a few cuts and bruises along his skin and clothes.

Relieve filled Kido. "Fine, are _you _alright?"

Konoha jumped forward toward another branch. Kido could see a brown-furred ape where they were standing. They landed and Konoha turned around to stare at the beast.

"I apologize again," Konoha yelled. The ape just huffed and growled in response. As it was about to pounce, Pit descended from above, clearing a gap in the thick leaves. Sunlight shone on him as he set himself right between the animal and Konoha. There was a smaller version of the former sitting atop his head.

"Wait, wait!" Pit shouted, flailing his arms up and down. "No more fighting! This was all just a misunderstanding!"

The cap-wearing monkey hopped on Pit's head and angrily pointed a finger toward Konoha. It probably made an accusation toward him, and the larger animal nodded its head with its arms crossed.

From their mannerisms and inclusion of clothing, Kido speculated that they held some degree of sentience, greater than the creatures Seto usually interacted with. If only he was here play translator, but Pit apparently understood their speech.

"You don't understand!" he pleaded as he faced the ape with the tie. "Mr. Donkey Kong, these are Shintaro's friends! They don't know anything about your rules!"

Donkey Kong's eye widened and let his arms droop. He let out a questioning grunt a second before the little one did.

"That's right, Diddy," Pit responded. "That's Kido and I think he's called Konoha."

Diddy jumped ecstatically and made his way toward his senior. Diddy laughed and twirled with excitement, but Donkey grabbed his tail and held him upside down with a soft snarl. He gave a louder one as he gave a sidelong look at Pit.

"They followed him through Interdimension 48. I don't know where he is, but I'm helping look for his friends."

Kido tugged at Konoha's shirt. "What happened to you? Will you be alright?"

He shrugged indifferently. "These apes were tougher than I thought, but I'll heal in time." Konoha shifted his stance for better balance. There wasn't enough space on the branch for him to set down Kido.

"Why were they attacking you, anyway?"

"… When I landed in the jungle, I accidently ate some bananas without realizing it was theirs." Konoha was embarrassed. He had been trying to become more observant and less of an airhead, but it had been slow progress.

Kido patted his arm. "Hey, at least you said you were sorry. You usually just nod your head or ignore the problem completely." Suddenly, she found herself blinded by a banana peel that was thrown onto her faced. When she removed it, the Kongs were gone and left only the angel. "What was that?" she shouted, irritated.

"Diddy was aiming for Konoha, but missed and left." Pit approached the two and introduced himself to Konoha. "Mr. Donkey Kong said he accepts your apology, but he wants you to help with harvesting some crops at some point."

"Wait," Kido interrupted, "how do you know Konoha?"

"I remember big brother describing some of the Mekakushi Dan members before," he explained. "I think he said Konoha was kind of like an albino once." He started staring at him. "Are you an albino?"

"Pit," Kido caught his attention, "focus." She looked to the boy carrying her. "Was there anyone else with you when you exited the portal?"

Konoha shook his head. "No, I was alone. Where did everyone go?"

Kido sighed. "Long story…"

X

Hovering over a rock in the middle of a forest, Lucario was meditating. His two companions went their separate ways to relieved themselves and he chose to wait patiently. In another few hours, they'd reach the castle.

Lucario's sensitive ears picked up the faint sound of footsteps and the cracking of twigs. It wasn't from a direction his compatriots took, so he used his powers to see who it was.

The blue Aura outlines of Red, Lucas, Blastoise, Pikachu, and a red outline of a boy not much older than Lucas.

_Interesting._

The Pokémon stood straight and made his way to intercept them. "Good day," he greeted as he came up from behind.

While Pikachu and Lucas fell with a yelp, Red and Blastoise waved goodheartedly. "Long time no see, Lucario," Red returned. "You heading to the banquet, too?"

A nod. "Yes, the others from Glacial Peak and I have accepted the invitation. However, I was wondering," he pointed to the boy on the larger Pokémon's shell, "if he was invited also."

Red's smile faded as he placed a hand on the back of his head and sighed. "Don't know, but he's one of Shintaro's buddies, and you know that Shintaro never accepts our invitations."

Lucario gave an amused chuckle. "True, no matter how acquainted we get, he always seems to try to distance himself from us."

"Anyway, I think the kid followed little Pika here." Pikachu became red with furry but decided to simply walk away at the statement. He hated that nickname even though he always says it whenever he speaks.

Lucas joined in on the conversation. "I remember him," he said. "He was here once, not long before Shintaro's last visit."

"Yeah," Red confirmed. "I didn't really get to meet him, but I do recall him getting into some sort of grudge match with Pika."

From the rock he was sitting at in the distance, Pikachu gave an indignant shout.

"Why was Pika in Shintaro's world, though?" Lucas asked, ignoring the following snarl. "I thought Master Hand didn't want to open up the portals yet?"

Red shrugged. "You know how he makes these 'off-the-books' deals. Pika won't tell us anything, but our first priority is getting the kid proper medical help."

True, the unfamiliar boy had x-shaped eyes and seemed just as frazzled as the Team Rocket members occasionally blasted into Glacial Peak. "The castle is still a ways away," Lucario pointed out. "Why don't you just send Charizard ahead with him?"

Red blushed and looked to the ground, hiding his eyes under his cap. "We aren't on speaking terms right now." His favorite fire type Pokémon was getting more and more rebellious every day.

"Well, I could fly him over there," Lucario offered. "You could meet up with my companions ahead and we would meet up later. It wouldn't be a bother."

The Pokémon Champion brightened up at the idea. "That'd be great! Plus, if you wouldn't mind, maybe you could drag little Pika with you? I'm willing to bet Sheik could get some answers out of him."

Pikachu shuddered.

"It would be my pleasure." Lucario placed the red-Aura boy over his shoulder and picked up the electrical rat by his tail. They were off into the air with Pika wailing wildly.

"What did exactly happen, anyway?" questioned Lucas who turned to Red as Blastoise was returned into his Pokéball. "With Pika and that boy, I mean?"

"No idea," Red replied, putting his hands into the pockets of his jeans. They started walking down the dirt road. "I do wonder about Shintaro's whole take on this whole thing, though. I mean, Mr. Anti-Social isn't one to bring friends on his trips here."

"Sound like someone I know," Lucas said with a knowing smile.

Red grunted, its meaning only obvious to the blonde boy. "Thing is that if another buddy of his got through not long after Shintaro did, who knows if anymore show up." He took a cautionary look around before speaking in a low voice. "Shintaro's interested in a girl back on his world, but he doesn't like to talk about it."

Lucas's eye widened. "Really? He has another girlfriend?"

"Probably, but if she's here, too –"

"If who's here?" said a voice from behind them.

Red froze as Lucas gave a salutation.

_Shintaro, if I get castrated because of your damn communication issues, I'll kill you myself._

X

"… took two weeks until I was let out. Aside from some trouble breathing every now and then, and some sore muscles, I'm fine."

"…"

"How has you're training been? I think Zelda mentioned that you were upping your standards to win the next tournament."

"…"

"Ugh… has Pit been behaving?"

A smirk.

"I-I just want to make sure he isn't causing any trouble. He should know better, but the princesses are too easy on him."

The smirk remained for a moment longer.

Shintaro looked away with a blush. "Just because he likes to call me his big brother doesn't mean I'm supposed to act like it."

A chuckle.

"Shut up!"

Eye contact. The expression said, "No matter what you say, you are who you are, and we both know what that is."

Shintaro crossed his arms. "Still as smart as ever, aren't you, Link?"

Thumbs up.

"Some things never change, I guess."

The elf and the NEET their drinks raised their drinks into the air.

Link gave a sorrowful smile, "To those we lost."

The smile was returned. "And will never forget."

Link was quicker on the draw to bring his cup to his lips, so he didn't catch the red appearing in Shintaro's eyes. 


	6. Chapter 6

_This is… odd._

New contenders were selected and soon to arrive. More worlds were to be adapted into his own. The strings were weathering down, but his power is now vastly superior than it was during the Subspace Emissary incident. Even with one ten times the power of Tabuu, he could put a foe down with not even a thousandth of his strength, and yet…

"Master Hand," a converted Primid spoke as it approached from behind. Instead of Shadow Bugs sticking out of its back, the opening was sealed up and replaced with the Smash Brothers Emblem. "The Halberd is due to arrive by the end of the week."

The floating being made a motion, mimicking a nod. He waved to the side to dismiss the underling. While he ought to go oversee the preparations to greet the newcomers, something was distracting him.

Shintaro was a surprising addition, a byproduct of his construction of bridges between worlds. The discovery, however, led him to the Heat Haze. Master Hand looked through the reality's history, but what really made him want Shintaro to stay was the fact that there were multiple histories, multiple "routes."

Maintaining the existence of the World of Trophies takes a considerable amount of focus and energy. His bridges only add onto his busy schedule, so he allowed the skinny boy to periodically stay over, to make bonds with the more permanent residents and the other tournament contestants. The connection allowed him to keep the portal open and allowed further research and observation.

The snakes and the eye abilities intrigued him. Everyday people could earn special powers, but they must pay a terrible price. It reminded him of those Mii fighters. The snakes weren't really made for traditional combat, but Master Hand could always use more agents scouting new worlds or keeping tabs on his subsidiaries and potential threats.

With the next tournament coming up, Master Hand had set aside his plans for Shintaro's world. Then the boy arrived with his own eye power, and his friends native to his world soon followed.

_Those snakes feel… peculiar._

Something unnerved Master Hand, something about those powers. He didn't quite know what exactly it was that bothered him, but he intended to find out.

He brought up an image, recorded footage of Shintaro sharing a drink with this tournament's incarnation of Link. Master Hand caught the red in the boy's eyes as he drank.

_Shintaro must have received his own powers. That red aura is something to keep an eye on._

Master Hand waved a finger, the image dissipating. He had his spies and other means to observe his uninvited guests. For now, he really did have to tend to the new combatants' stay here, along with the feast for tonight.

X

Kido would have preferred to keep her hood on, but the sun's heat was becoming too much for her to tolerate.

Konoha and Pit were walking ahead of her along the dirt path. The pair seemed to kick it off and exchanged both words and small pieces of fruit. To their right were rough, dense trees residing there. A mountain could be seen off in the distance. To their left was a soft stream of water flowing. Kido's frowned at it, feeling the urge to rinse herself in a nice shower.

_We still have no idea where everyone else is_, she thought. _Seto and Marry fell together. They can take care of each other. Ene can look after Momo. Kano…_

A sigh escaped her lips.

_I'm really worried about Hibiya. What trouble could he have gotten into with that… Pikachu, was it?_

Pit mentioned about some sort of past event between that rat and Hibiya, but he said he did not know much about it.

"There it is!" the angel shouted, suddenly hovering into the air and pointing wildly forward. Kido walked faster and met Konoha's pace. "There's Onett!"

The town lay at the end of their path, downhill from where they stood. It looked like a simple community, low buildings, but construction seemed to be taking place, expanding its territory. Another mountain stood on the other side of the village.

"It isn't the original Onett," Pit went on, "but Ness says it's a neat replica."

Kido had no idea who Ness was, but she decided not to ask.

"Do they have any barbecue places?" Konoha asked.

"I think so, but I haven't tried any of them."

Konoha turned to Kido. "Can we make a stop there, leader?"

Kido had to reply by shaking her head. "Sorry, but we should head to Doctor Mario first. We'll see if Shintaro's there. If not, we'll get you checked out."

"Then can we eat?" Konoha asked with a rather innocent expression.

"Of course."

The buildings within the city were brightly colored, as where the people and vehicles. The lushness of the vegetation only helped to brighten up the town. It was a breathtaking sight, but the three were too distracted with their mission to really enjoy it.

They entered a two-story building painted white and grey. A sign was set up on the side, titled, "Mushroom Clinic." Pit led the way into an operating room.

A short, plump man in a white coat and medical equipment tended to a boy about Hibiya's age, maybe older. The big-nosed man was frowning at the red-capped kid. The boy bitterly avoided his eyes.

Pit gasped at the bandage on the boy's forearm. "Ness, what happened?!"

The boy turned to his winged friend. "Nothing," he waved off.

"He got into a fight with one of those new Mii Fighters," Dr. Mario explained. "I had to break them up." He finished up his work, Ness wincing back. "And who are your friends, Pit?" The doctor approached Konoha, giving him a once over. "This one appears to have gotten himself into a scuffle."

"I'm Kido," the girl answered before Pit could say a word. "This is Konoha. We're friends of Shintaro, and we're looking for him."

"So that boy finally brought along his companions." Dr. Mario dragged Konoha to the chair Ness sat on. The younger boy got off and stood to the side.

"Have you seen him?" Kido asked politely.

"For a few minutes. He came to visit my clinic, asked for a few painkillers. We didn't talk very much."

"Do you know where he went?" Kido said with a little more desperation than she would have liked.

"Said he'd be going somewhere southward, I don't know. Maybe he is going to the Smash Mansion; maybe take a ride to Glacial Peak."

Pit assumed a contemplative look. "He should know that everyone at Glacial Peak is going to the Mansion by now. I think Shintaro would head there, too."

"Whatever you say. It doesn't concern me."

Kido suddenly noticed that Ness was staring at her. "Do you need something?" she asked dryly. He began to blush and ducked his head under his hat.

_We don't another complication_, Kido thought. Ness's blush led her mind wander to her concern for Shintaro, and she reddened as well. Maybe getting some food in her system wouldn't hurt, help rejuvenate her senses and help her focus more on the task at hand.

"Oh, Ness!" Pit flew to the flushing boy. "Can you show us to that barbecue place in town? We could use a guide."

Ness glanced at Kido. She was looking to the floor, and he felt butterflies flutter in his stomach when he saw the color in her face.

"So whaddya say, Ness?"

"Sure," he spurted out before immediately heading out the door.

"Hey, wait up! We have to wait for Konoha!" Pit followed him out. Kido remained unmoving, and Konoha was as silent as ever in his seat.

Dr. Mario murmured, "Darn kids these days…"

X

"S-Seto…"

Seto looked down. "Yes, Marry?"

"I can see trees over there." She stretched a finger to their left, and on the horizon was the sign of greenery.

"Alright. Nice job," Seto complimented before turning the bike toward the trees.

Regardless of the actions of that Wario guy, his bike was pretty cool. Marry sat in front of Seto. The fumes bothered Marry a bit at first, but then she got sucked into the refreshing breeze hitting her face. Seto smiled, glad she was having a good time.

That large but short man had grabbed Marry by the arm. She shrieked, and Seto wanted to just pierce into the stranger's mind and break him. All Seto really got was a name and how to ride his motorcycle before Marry managed to break free and freeze Wario.

She wasn't scared anymore. That was all that mattered, at least for the moment.

When they reached the soft patches of grass, the bike gave a final stutter before going silent. Seto tried to rev it up again, but yielded no results.

"Guess we'll have to walk from here," Seto noted. The two got off and began to walk pass the trees. While Marry observed the plants and flowers with curiosity, Seto kept his mind open to any neighboring minds thinking loud enough. All he could hear were a few lingering thoughts from the occasional insect fluttering about or a rodent busy with finding food.

Then he could hear voices. Not through his powers, but straight through his ears. Marry also looked toward where the sounds were resonating from.

"Who were you talking about?"

"Nobody. Can we talk about something else?"

"Lucas, do you know who?"

"I don't know. Red probably does."

"Lucas! I thought you had my back!"

"Oh, now this sounds good. I _have _to know if you're trying to keep it a secret."

Seto stepped over a small bush and revealed himself and Marry to the three voices.

Lucas was the first to notice them. "Oh," he blurted out. "Hello," he waved a tad shyly.

"Hey," the green hooded boy returned with a disarming smile. "My name is Seto. This is Marry." Marry tried to hide herself behind Seto, but he made sure she had a good view of the strangers.

"I'm Lucas." He turned to the other two. "Red, Nana?"

Nana, just as tall as Red, was leaning on him, an arm draped around his neck. A pink parka hugged her body, the hood pulled back to expose her brown hair. A short ponytail hung off the back of her head. Red's hands were stuffed into his pants pockets, obviously looking uncomfortable. They looked to Seto and waved.

"Don't think we've met," Nana greeted. She got off Red and shook Seto's hand with a firm grip. "I'd be Nana. Nice to meet you." Seto closed his eyes and gave a harmonizing hum in response.

"You're one of the Mekakushi Dan, aren't you?" Red flagrantly questioned, his posture slowly relaxing.

Seto raised an eyebrow as Marry clutched his clothes harder. "Do you know Shintaro?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah," Red said back, though his neutral tone was layered with a bit of a roughness. "He's a friend of ours."

"Why is it that Shintaro hasn't mentioned any of you to the Dan?"

_And why did he never tell us that he knew of a way to enter another world?_

Red simply shrugged.

"Wait," Nana cut in. "Shintaro's here?"

"Somewhere," Red shrugged again. Nana grabbed his collar and pulled his face centimeters away from her own.

"Was he the person you were talking about?" she snapped.

"Sure," the Pokémon trainer said without missing a beat.

Nana narrowed her eyes. "Where is he?"

"Don't know. Could be anywhere."

"We're actually looking for him," Seto tried to get their attention. "Marry and I are also looking for another boy. His name is –"

"Hibiya."

Seto locked his gaze onto Red.

"He's been here before, too."

_I'm all for keeping really personal secrets, but Shintaro and Hibiya, keeping something this big from the rest of the Dan? Really?_

"Hibiya's probably at the Smash Mansion." Red paused. "Or the Princess's castle. Can never remember which is which."

"Can you take us to him?" Seto slowly inquired.

"Of course," Nana answered. She let go of Red, letting him hit the dirt. Lucas went to help him up while Nana faced Seto with a smile. "How about you tag along with us? We're heading toward the castles anyway." She stretched a hand forward.

Seto smiled back and shook with her. "Sounds like a plan. Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Nana tilted her head to look at Marry who shrunk further back. "Aw, Marry, right? Come on, we won't bite. Well, maybe Red, but we've got him under a tight leash."

Marry managed a very small smile.

"Why don't we get on our way?" Nana turned and continued walking down the path. Red dusted himself off and followed. Lucas stayed behind to grin at Seto and Marry.

"Are any of you hungry?" he flipped open the pack on his back, biting into his a chocolate bar and offered a pair.

"Thanks," Seto expressed his gratitude, taking a bar and handing the other to Marry. She took it hesitantly.

Marry glimpsed to Lucas, another stranger, but his smile was less disturbing than Wario's. His reminded her a lot of Seto's.

At Seto's insistence, she unwrapped some of the plastic wrapping off and began to nibble at the piece of candy.

X

Crimson fluids dripped off of Links face. Part of his favored green hat was partially stained red. Link flicked off a pink tear off, blinking rapidly to rid himself of the liquid in his eyes.

"I-I…sorry!"

Link sighed, drawing out his sword.

"Wha… What are you going to do?"

The swordsman slowly approached his compatriot.

"Link, you're scaring me." A chair fell over, as did a body.

The sword was raised in the air.

"Link!"

The blade descended.

Thankfully, Shintaro's favorite jersey and Ayano's scarf were completely undamaged. However, his black shirt received a long cut that exposed his bandages. The bandages were also cut through, some of the fabric falling off his body. His previously sore and bruised skin now appeared quite healed compared to when he rebandaged himself last night.

"Ugh… thanks?"

Link swiped a handkerchief from a pocket and wiped his face, sheathing his sword.

"Sorry about… spitting out that healing potion. It just –" Shintaro unintentionally shuddered. "Sorry."

Link shrugged, clasping his hand to Shintaro's and bringing him to his feet. He strolled toward a closet, sifting through the contents to find a suitable replacement shirt. Shintaro downed himself a cup of water.

_That tasted horribly…_

The door to their shared room opened. A majestic figure entered the candle-lit chamber.

"I heard a shriek. What was –"

"It was nothing," Shintaro waved his hands frantically.

The woman raised an eyebrow. "That was _not_ nothing. Link?"

The pointy-eared hero jingled a bottle of one of his health potions. Then he pointed to his red stains on his tunic and pointed to Shintaro's ripped cloth.

"Ah, I see." The princess nodded. "I would have thought by now you would realize that Link wouldn't hurt you without a good reason, Shintaro."

He just muttered bitter remarks under his breath.

"Kirby is just about done cooking your meal. Once you are done here, he'd like it if you two go to the dining room."

While Link nodded, Shintaro said, "Alright, Princess Zelda. We'll be down there soon."

Zelda smiled warmheartedly at Shintaro. "It really is good to see again." With that, the princess exited.

"So," Shintaro drawled out, eager for a little payback, "did you propose to her yet?"

A dark shirt was thrown over Shintaro's head.


End file.
